An expanded rail lime is part of a proposed coal export terminal near Ironton in Plaquemines Parish. Gretna officials say there is little they can do other than to push for relocation of the railroad that runs through the city.
(Andrea Shaw, NOLA.com|The Times-Picayune)

There is little Gretna officials can do to stop a proposed coal export terminal and extended rail line in southern Plaquemines Parish, the mayor said Wednesday night. But Gretna will push hard to relocate railroad tracks out of the city, Mayor Belinda Constant told a resident.

Howard Koch, who lives on Madison Street across from the New Orleans & Gulf Coast railyard, told the City Council Wednesday (June 11) he attended a meeting Tuesday that discussed the coal facility and possible impacts on the West Bank.

RAM Terminal wants to build a coal export terminal north of Ironton that would load, unload, mix and store coal on site. Also under discussion is a possible railroad expansion as part of the project, the third such plant in Plaquemines.

The Clean Gulf Commerce Coalition, which sponsored the meeting, argues the railroad's 32-mile route through Algiers, Gretna and Terrytown along Louisiana 23 into Plaquemines would see an increase in traffic transporting uncovered coal to the facility. Coalition representatives said the trains could be a mile-long with as many as 150 cars, posing a threat to safety and health.

Koch said he is concerned about his wife's well-being and their property values. "My wife has bad asthma. I'm worried about her health and everything,'' he said.

City Attorney Mark Morgan, who also attended the coalition meeting, said he is trying to verify some of the information discussed. "We are all worried about that myself, personally, as well as the rest of this council,'' Morgan said. "The issue is what do we have the ability to do about it as a City Council. I've advised the city it's very limited.''

In the past, city officials say trains have hampered emergency response. In 2006, two houses were destroyed when trains blocked firefighters from accessing the scene.

Constant said the city is interested in the amount of rail traffic and the length of trains. A panel is assessing rerouting trains along Peters Road in Harvey and an environmental study is underway, she said.

Elected officials at all levels, including the Congressional delegation, are on board with relocating the train route, Constant said.

"They lose money coming through our city. They don't do business here. They don't want to be here,'' she said of the railroad. "Unfortunately the rail yard is at Gouldsboro. The only way they get there is through Gretna. As soon as they can find the money and it's economically feasible for them to do that, they want to reroute the train. We support that at every level of government.''

Koch said a friend of his lives near a coal facility in Davant and has warned him what life is like. "He told me the dust is terrible,'' Koch said. "...That stuff gets all over your house. You breath it.''

Koch said a train recently blocked Madison Street keeping from his home for 35 minutes. "I can put up with the deal about waiting on the train,'' he said. "As far as the hazardous material, the coal dust and everything is a health hazard that's my main concern.''